


Rock Dust

by Furorscribiendi



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-03
Updated: 2014-01-03
Packaged: 2018-01-07 06:38:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1116671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Furorscribiendi/pseuds/Furorscribiendi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bifur watches as Thorin and Bilbo keep sneaking off together. How the others don't notice is beyond him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rock Dust

**Author's Note:**

> This is all [lilithiumwords](http://archiveofourown.org/users/lilithiumwords) and [kaavyawriting](http://archiveofourown.org/users/KaavyaWriting)'s fault. Because lilithiumwords said, "Bilbo returning to camp looking rather content and someone points out a white stain on his shirt and Thorin looks shifty." To which kaavyawriting then said, "SOMEBODY QUICK WRITE THAT *POINTS IMPERIOUSLY*"
> 
> My traitorous brain should be working on other things, not writing about Bifur being the biggest troll to ever troll. Ai... This was written in about 20 minutes, so, erm, just roll with it. Please and thank you and bless you all. :D

Everyone was used to Bifur being fairly quiet. As such, he tended to fade into the background. He didn't mind it. The peace and quiet was relaxing and helped with the pounding in his head when it came on. But sometimes, they forgot he was there and watching. So it was why he was the only one who ever noticed how their little burglar sneaked off in the commotion of camp being set up.

And in that same commotion, no one noticed when Thorin went off somewhere too.

At first, Bifur thought they were having private words. Possibly Thorin was making amends for his terrible treatment of Bilbo before the whole mess with the goblins. But as they ventured further from the Carrock, it gradually went from them sneaking off to bedrolls placed closer together. Truth be told, it didn't bother him in the slightest. And Mahal knew Thorin needed to lighten up a bit. But how the others didn't notice was beyond him.

So maybe Bifur had inadvertently tempted fate. One early afternoon, they paused by a stream. Their clothes reeked and Oin was insisting on pausing to tend to wounds properly. Oin was probably one of the few who could properly badger Thorin into doing something.

Sure enough Bilbo slipped off, entirely unnoticed. Mayhap the little Hobbit could sneak past the dragon. Though, what were they going to do about that dragon? He hadn't heard anything about it so far. And sure enough, there went Thorin minutes later.

Bifur smiled and hummed to himself as he settled down, watching everyone else sort out what to do. Dori seemed to be corralling a reluctant Nori and Ori off to the river for, 'long overdue baths' while Bombur was lamenting the loss of their supplies for a proper lunch. Kili and Fili wasted no time, volunteering to hunt up some game and went crashing off through the underbrush, with Dwalin behind them. Balin and Gloin shook their heads with a sigh and Bifur concurred. They would have to range very far with how much noise they seemed to be constantly making.

"Hey then, what are you up to?" Bofur came and plopped down beside him. "Aren't you in a good mood."

Bifur smiled at his cousin, quickly signing out, "Good day. We live. Off to Erebor."

"Aye, that it is. Being alive is no small thing either," Bofur nodded. "Want to give Bombur a hand? He's looking at his sole frying pan like it can give him a feast. Maybe we can get a fish or something?"

It didn't take long to rig up some rudimentary poles and hunker down on some rock a good bit upstream away from where Dori was practically forcing a thrashing Nori to wash orc blood off himself.

It was quiet and... was that the scuffle of a foot? He strained his ears, trying to hear over the sounds of the stream. What he heard was a soft grunt and then a low moan.

"Oi, did y'hear that?" Bofur was peering around, a frown on his face.

Bifur had learned the art of a straight face well before Azanulbizar. He still had it now. All he did was look at Bofur before shaking his head. Bofur's brows furrowed together and there came the scuffle of a foot again. Mahal blast it all.

"There's someone out there." Bofur hissed as he set down his fishing pole. "Let's go see."

Bifur shook his head as he signed, "Go to camp. I scout."

Before Bofur could even protest, Bifur shoved his fishing pole at Bofur, scrambled down the rock and slowly walked into the underbrush. It helped that he made more noise than Kili and Fili, which was saying something. So when he found Bilbo and Thorin, they were neatly dressed and Thorin was paying far too much attention to the plants. More than he ever had in his life, Bifur would wager.

"Ah, Bifur!" Bilbo beamed.

Bilbo, to his credit had a handful of greens in hand. Thorin was looking like he found and ate a bunch of sour grapes, his mouth was so pinched in a scowl.

"Did you need something?" Thorin asked pointedly.

Bifur didn't know how he did it. Thorin was looking all sour-faced and Bilbo so innocent. However, there was a not so innocent white mark right on the lapel of Bilbo's worn waist coat.

"Bifur, is everything okay?" Bilbo was looking concerned now.

The smile broke out on Bifur's face, he simply couldn't help it. He walked up to Bilbo, and took the handful of greens, before looking at Thorin.

"Thief has rock dust."

That was all he signed. Thorin's eyes flickered over and the flush that came to Thorin's face was truly a sight to behold. It almost made Bifur want to cackle with laughter. Bilbo looked at Thorin now, who made a discrete brushing motion, and honestly what was even the point in that? Bifur had seen the evidence with his own two eyes. Now it was poor Bilbo's turn. Bright red as a tomato and he actually turned around, frantically trying to brush the stain out. How Bifur didn't burst out laughing, he didn't know. Maybe everyone else was thicker than he realised. 

"Bring more," he signed to Thorin before holding up the greens. "Lots more."

Thorin nodded, looking a little less like a truant child. 

"Lots more." Bifur signed once more with an intent look.

"Lots more. Want a rabbit too?" Thorin asked dourly.

"Yes. Good for stew. Mining is hard work."

Thorin was sputtering as Bifur sauntered away back to the camp. When he arrived back, Bofur was trying to sort everyone out, probably to come to the rescue.

"Oh, good, you're back safe. What was out there?" Bofur looked anxious.

"King. Thief. Foraging." Bifur held up the greens. "Bringing more."

Bofur's shoulders slumped a bit in relief and everyone else relaxed. 

"Aye, that's a boon then. If anyone can dig up something to eat out here, it'll be our wee burglar and Bombur," Balin eyed the direction Bifur came from. "Did they need a hand?"

Bifur shook his head. "Nearly done. Coming back."

A few minutes later proved him right since Bilbo came out from the underbrush quietly. Thorin stumped out like a herd of oliphants and Bifur was starting to wonder if the noisiness was a Durin family trait. But they had greens and a few other things Bifur didn't recognise. He helped Balin and the others set up camp. Oin was fretting over wounds when Fili and Kili came back with a brace of rabbits, while Dwalin has a deer slung over his shoulders.

Bombur and Bilbo wasted no time in scooping up the spoils of Kili and Fili's hunt and before long some were in the frying pan and other turning on a spit. Dwalin and Balin were prepping the deer while Gloin stoked a bigger fire for it to roast on. Bifur was contentedly nibbling on some greens when Thorin came and settled down beside him. He didn't say anything for a long moment before he sighed and said,

"Your discretion is assured?"

Bifur slid Thorin a look and a smile. "Yes. No talk," he gestured to the others before signing, "Gossiping Elves."

That got a bark of laughter from Thorin, and stares from everyone else. Everyone looked for a moment before going back to what they were doing. Bilbo's gaze lingered on Bifur a moment longer though. When Bifur quickly winked, Bilbo smiled and turned his attention back to the frying pan.

Yes, Bifur was positive that everyone else should pay more attention.


End file.
